Machine frame for an electric motor



March 21, 1967 A. KRELL MACHINE FRAME FOR AN ELECTRIC MOTOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 11, 1964 FIG. 5

INVENTOR: A L FEED KKEL L A77 AIVEY March 21, 1967 KRELL 3,310,698

MACHINE FRAME FOR AN ELECTRIC MOTOR Filed Feb. 11, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 3

FIG. 4

FIG. 5

INVENTOR: Al. F550 KAEL Z.

W /z H Arm/v5) cated holes for accommodating the pins.

United States Patent 3 310,698 MACHINE FRAME FOR AN ELECTRIC MOTOR Alfred Krell, North Beilmore, N.Y., assignor to IMC Magnetics C0rp., Westbury, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Feb. 11, 1964, Ser. No. 344,087 6 Claims. (Cl. 310-258) This invention relates to a machinery framework, and especially to a framework for supporting an electric motor.

It is a general object of the invention to provide such a framework which may be assembled more quickly and easily than comparable frameworks heretofore known, thus making production of the machines of which the framework is a part more efficient.

It is an important object of the invention to provide such a framework the parts of which may be assembled without the use of conventional independent fasteners.

It is a further object of the invention to provide such a framework within which an electrical connector, by

means of which electric power is supplied to the motor,

may be permanently secured without the use of conventional independent fasteners.

These objects are achieved, according to the present invention, by means of a framework, comprising two initially independent sections, adapted to support an electric motor at its center. One of the sections is integrally formed with a plurality of pins projecting toward the other section and surrounding the motor. The other section is provided with a plurality of correspondingly 10- The two sections are mated by inserting the pins into the holes and thereafter the free ends of the pins are deformed to en large them. The enlargements prevent the pins from being withdrawn from the holes, and the two framework sections are thereby permanently secured together. One of the sections may also be provided with integral walls and abutments defining a receptacle region for accommodating the terminal block of an electrical connector. The terminal block is inserted into the receptacle before the framework parts are mated, and after mating the opening through which the terminal block was inserted is closed by the other framework section to prevent its removal.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description in which reference is made to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of two sections of a framework according to this invention before they are mated;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the framework;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line 3--3 of FIG. 2 showing the two framework sections permanently secured together;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on line 44 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a view along the line 55 of FIG. 1 showing the terminal block receptacle; and

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of an electrical connector according to the invention.

The framework chosen to illustrate the present invention is adapted to support the housing 10- (see FIGS. 2 and 3) of an electric motor. The invention is not limited by the use to which the motor is put, but for the purpose of aiding the understanding of the invention it may be mentioned that the motor could be employed to rotate an air-circulating fan 20.

The illustrated framework comprises two sections 11 and 12 (FIGS. 1 and 3). Each of the sections has a substantially square outer contour (FIG. 2), and is provided with a relatively large central circular opening 13 to permit air being circulated to pass through the framework. One of the sections, in the present example section 11, is provided with struts 14 extending into the opening 13 by means of which the motor housing 10 is supported at the center of the opening. Each of the sections is provided at its corners with holes 15 for accommodating fasteners so that the framework may be mounted in a region in which air is to be circulated. It has been found most practical to form the framework sections 11 and 12 from metal by means of a casting operation. However, other appropriate materials and manufacturing methods may, of course, be employed.

Coming now to the means for fastening the sections 11 and 12 together to form the complete framework, section 11 presents a plurality of pins 16 projecting perpendicularly from one of its faces. These pins are integral with the remainder of the section. 11, and initially they taper toward their free ends 19, as shown in FIG. 1. In the present example, there are four such pins, only three being visible in FIG. 1. Each pin 16 is surrounded at its base by a shoulder 18 (FIG. 3). The other section 12 of the framework is provided with four holes 17 located in posicorresponding to the taper of the pins 16. At its rearward end, the tapered portion terminates in a rearwardly facing shoulder 22. The front end of each hole 17 is surrounded by a flat land area 23 adapted to oppose the shoulder 18 surrounding its respective pin 16. The spacing between the land area 23 and shoulder 22 of each hole is less than the length of the pin to be accommodated by the hole.

When the framework sections 11 and 12 are to be assembled, they are oriented as shown in FIG. 1 with the pins 16 projecting toward the section 12. The sections are then moved toward each other so that the pins 16 enter the holes 17. This movement is continued until the shoulders 18 surrounding the pins engage the land areas 23 surrounding the holes. At this point, the outer tapered surface of each pin engages the inner tapered surface 21 of its respective hole. In addition, the free ends 19 of the pins extend rearwardly of the shoulders 22 within the holes 17. The sections are now prepared for the final step in the assembly of the framework. While the outer face of the section 11 is braced against a suitable stationary support or anvil, an appropriate tool, having sufiicient kinetic energy to accomplish its intended purpose, enters each hole 17 through its rearward end and subjects the free end 19 of the pin within that hole to an upsetting operation which deforms and enlarges the free end. The enlargement 24 so formed is larger in diameter than the rearward end of the tapered region 21, and hence cooperates with the shoulder 22 to prevent withdrawal of the pin from the hole 17. It follows that the sections 11 and 12 can no longer be separated, and are therefore permanently secured together. It is to be noted that this securement exists without the presence of independent bolts or other conventional fasteners of any kind. Rather, the securement is accomplished by means of elements carried integrally by the framework sections themselves.

Referring to FIGS. 4-6, the electrical connector, by means of which electric power is supplied to the motor within the housing 10, and its mounting within the framework will now be described. As shown in FIG. 6, the connector comprises two contact strips 25 of copper or other suitable conductive material, and a pair of blocks 26, of plastic or other insulating material, which together com- Patented Mar. 21,, 1967 prise a terminal block. Each block 26 is provided with a pair of parallel slots 27, the slots having a depth equal to one-half the width of the strips 25. Consequently when the blocks are held together with the slots in alignment, the slots are capable of accommodating the contact strips 25 in mutually insulated relationship. In order to prevent longitudinal movement of the strips 25 with respect to the terminal block, one of the slots 27 of each block 26 is provided with a raised portion (not shown) and each strip 25 is provided along one of its edges with a cut-out 28 for receiving the raised portion. Each strip 25 is provided with holes at its ends to make the connection of electrically conductive wires to it more convenient. Thus, as shown in FIG. 6, a pair of wires 30 extending within one of the struts 14 from the motor within the housing 10 is partially secured to the ends of the pair of contact strips 25. Power can be transmitted to the motor by simply connecting the other ends of the strips 25 to a source of electricity.

Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5, it will be seen that the framework section 12 is formed with two integral spaced apart walls 31 and 32 projecting toward the section 11. Each wall is formed with a pair of inwardly projecting abutments 33 which together with the walls 31 and 32 define a receptacle region 34. The region 34 is so sized that the assembled connector consisting of the blocks 26 and strips 25 fits into it snugly (see FIG. 4). Obviously, the connector must be placed in the receptacle region 34 before the framework sections 11 and 12 are assembled. Upon assembly of these sections, portions 35 of section 11 press against the ends of the blocks 26 and prevent the removal of the block from its mounting. Thus, again it should be pointed out that the connector itself is assembled without the aid of fasteners, and it is permanently mounted within the framework without the employment of fasteners of any kind.

It will readily be seen from the above detailed description of a selected embodiment of the invention that the present invention provides a framework which may be assembled more quickly and easily than comparable conventional frameworks because there is no need to handle and manipulate independent fasteners, and consequently, the framework of the present invention is less expensive to manufacture.

The invention has been shown and described in preferred form only, and by way of example, and many variations may be made in the invention which will still be comprised within its spirit. It is understood, therefore, that the invention is not limited to any specific form or embodiment except insofar as such limitations are included in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A framework for supporting an electric motor located at the center of the framework comprising two independent sections joined to form the complete framework, and means for permanently fastening said sections together, said means including pins integral with one of said sections and spaced around said motor, said pins projecting toward the other of said sections, and said other section having holes accommodating said pins, said holes being spaced around said motor in such location as to receive said pins, the free ends of said pins being enlarged to prevent the removal of said pins from said holes and hence to prevent separation of said sections.

2. A framework as defined in claim 1 wherein said pins taper toward their free ends, and the walls of said holes converge toward the free ends of said pins.

3. A framework as defined in claim 2 wherein said pins and holes are so relatively sized that the surface of each pin engages the walls of its respective hole in order to insure a rigid connection between said sections.

4. A framework as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said holes includes an enlarged diameter region behind the region of the hole which accommodates its respective pin in order to form a shoulder adjacent to the free end of said pin, the enlargement on the end of said pin engaging said shoulder.

5. A framework for supporting an electric motor located at the center of the framework comprising two independent sections joined to form the complete framework, means for permanently fastening said sections together, said means including pins integral with one of said sections and spaced around said motor, said pins projecting toward the other of said sections, and said other section having holes accommodating said pins, said holes being spaced around said motor in such location as to receive said pins, the free ends of said pins being enlarged to prevent the removal of said pins from said holes and hence to prevent separation of said sections, a pair of spaced apart walls integral with one of said sections, abutments projecting from said walls into the space between them to define a receptacle region, a terminal block of insulating material tightly fitted within said receptacle region, a pair of electric contacts within said terminal block, and means on the other of said sections opposed to said receptacle region engaging said terminal block to prevent its removal from said receptacle region.

6. A framework as defined in claim 5 wherein said terminal block comprises two independent elements, said contacts being clamped between said elements.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,460,063 1/1949 Cole 310-258 MILTON O. HIRSHFIELD, Primary Examiner.

I. W. GIBBS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A FRAMEWORK FOR SUPPORTING AN ELECTRIC MOTOR LOCATED AT THE CENTER OF THE FRAMEWORK COMPRISING TWO INDEPENDENT SECTIONS JOINED TO FORM THE COMPLETE FRAMEWORK, AND MEANS FOR PERMANENTLY FASTENING SAID SECTIONS TOGETHER, SAID MEANS INCLUDING PINS INTEGRAL WITH ONE OF SAID SECTIONS AND SPACED AROUND SAID MOTOR, SAID PINS PROJECTING TOWARD THE OTHER OF SAID SECTIONS, AND SAID OTHER SECTION HAVING HOLES ACCOMMODATING SAID PINS, SAID 